Card holder



June 8, 1965 M. E. STEPHENSON CARD HOLDER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug.27, 1963 Marshall fidle viaemazo J 8, 1965 M. E. STEPHENSON CARD HOLDERFiled Aug. 27, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 w 4, Marshall 5 Siepkerzsow AORNEY6' United States Patent 3,187,795 CARD HOLDER Marshall E.Stephenson, 1500 N. Howland, Porterville, Calif. Filed Aug. 27, 1963,Ser. No. 304,776 2 Claims. (Cl. 150-39) This invention relates generallyto a card holder, and more specifically to a holder having a pluralityof pockets for holding cards securely therein and adapted to be foldedin a small compact package.

It is customary for salesmen who provide products to retail stores, suchas grocery stores, to check personally the stock on the shelves, and inmany instances provide price cards for their products. Many salesmenassume the responsibility to check that the price is correct and ifnecessary place the proper price card on the shelf. In order toaccomplish this, the salesman usually carries a large number of cardsbearing the current prices for the various products he handles. This canbe quite cumbersome and also quite time consuming if the cards are notcarried in a manner wherein they are easily accessible to the salesman.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a holder for suchcards wherein the cards are easily accessible to the salesman.

It is another object of this invention to provide a holder for the cardshaving a plurality of pockets which are transparent so the cards maybeobserved without removal from the individual pockets.

It is still a further object of this invention to provide a holder forcards having a plurality of pockets for holding the cards therein andmeans for maintaining the cards securely within the pockets. I

These objects may be accomplished according to one embodiment of theinvention wherein a holder is provided having a plurality of pockets forreceiving the price indicating cards. The holder comprises a sheet offlexible material. The sheet is divided into a plurality of sections,each section being substantially equal in size. Each section is providedwith a plurality of pockets formed by se curing a strip of transparentmaterial to the sheet. Two adjacent sections are formed with theopenings of the pockets directed towards each other and one sectionbeing foldable about a line into overlying position with the other. Aretainer flap is provided along the fold line to retain the cards withinthe pockets. The other two sections are provided with pockets andretainer means and adapted so that one section is foldable into aposition overlying the other. The folded sections may then be foldedtogether. Suitable means are provided to maintain the folder in foldedposition.

This embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective View of the card holder in its fully foldedcondition;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the card holder in its half openposition; I

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the card holder in its fully open position; and

FIG. 4 is a partial sectional view taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 3.

The card holder comprises a flexible sheet 12 of any suitable material,such as plastic or cloth. The holder 10 is divided into four sectionsindicated at 14, 16, 18 and 20. The section 14 is foldable along line 15into a position overlying section 16. The section is foldable along line19 into a position overlying section 18. The folded sections 14 and 16,and 18 and 20, are then foldable along a center line 21 into closedposition, such as one would close a book.

Sections 14 and 16 are each provided with a plurality ice of pockets 22and 24, respectively. The pockets 22 and 24 are formed by securingelongated strips 25 and 26 of flexible material, preferably transparent,to the sheet 12. In the illustrated embodiment, the strips 25 and 26 aresewn to the sheet 12; however, this may be done by heat sealing or byuse of suitable adhesive, depending upon the kind of material used.

The strip 25 is secured, along three of its edges 27, 28 and 29, to thesheet 12. The remaining edge 30 is not secured to the sheet 12. Theindividual pockets 22 are then formed by securing the strip 25 to thesheet 12 at spaced intervals 32. The unsecured edge 30 of the strip 25forms the openings of the pockets 22.

The pockets 24 are formed in a similar manner. The strip 26 is secured,along the edges 34, 35 and 36, and at spaced intervals, 37 to the sheet12. The unsecured edge 38 forms the opening of the pockets 24. In thismanner the pockets 22 and the pockets 24 all are disposed with theiropenings directed toward the fold line 15.

A retainer flap 41) is provided in the space between the rows of pockets22 and 24 to maintain cards therein. The retainer flap 40 comprises anelongatedstrip of flexible material, preferably of the same material asthe strips 25 and 26, secured along its longitudinal axis to the sheet12 at the fold line 15. In this manner, a portion 41 of the retainerflap 40, extends towards the pockets 22 and a portion 42 extends towardsthe pockets 24. As shown in FIG. 3, the portions 41 and 42 will overliethe ends of cards placed in the pockets 22 and 24 to maintain the cardssecurely therein.

The section 13 is provided with a plurality of pockets 46 formed from astrip 47 of the same material as strips 25 and 26. The strip 47 issecured along its edges 48, 49 and 543 at spaced intervals 51 to thesheet 12, with its edge 52 left unsecured to form the openings ofthe'pockets 46. A retainer flap 54, identical in structure to theretainer flap 40, is secured to the sheet 12 along its longitudinal axisadjacent the fold line 19. A portion 55 extends toward the pockets 46 tomaintain cards therein.

Section 20 is provided with a plurality of pockets which are formedsomewhat dilferent than the pockets of the sections 14, 16 and 18. Afirst pair of pockets 56 are provided on one end of section 20 bysecuring a sheet 57, also transparent, along its edges 58, 59 and 60,and along its central axis 61 to the sheet 12 with the remaining edge 62left unsecured. The pockets 56 formed in this manner are disposed withtheir openings directed in a direction perpendicular to the direction ofthe openings of the pockets described above.

A further pair of pockets 64 are formed at the other end of section 20by securing a sheet 65 of trainsparent flexible material along its edges67, 68, 69 and its central axis 70, to the sheet 12 with the remainingedge 71 left unsecured. It will thus be understood that the pockets 64open in a direction toward the openings of the pockets 56.

Substantially midway of the section 24 and between the pairs of pockets56 and 64, a further pair of pockets 74 are formed by securing a sheet75 of flexible transparent material along its edges 76 and 77 and itscentral axis 78 to the sheet 12. The remaining edges 79 and 80 are leftunsecured. The pockets 74, thus formed, open in two directions, bothtoward the openings of pockets 64 and toward the openings of pockets 56.

A retainer flap 82 is provided between the pairs of pockets 64 and 74which comprises a short strip of flexible material secured along itslongitudinal axis 83, to the sheet 12 so that a portion 84 extendstoward the pockets 64 to maintain the cards therein and a portion 85extends toward the pockets 74 to maintain cards therein.

A retainer flap 86 is also provided between the pockets 56 and the otherends of the pockets 74. The retainer flap 86 is identical to theretainer flap 82 and is secured along its longitudinal axis 87 to. thesheet 12 so that a portion 88 extends toward the openings of the pockets74 and a portion 89 extends toward the openings of the pockets 56 tomaintain the cards therein.

Means 90 may be provided to fasten the holder in its folded positionillustrated in FIG. 1. In the illustrated embodiment, the fasteningmeans 90' comprises several small pieces of Velcro Fasteners secured tothe back side of the sheet 12 adjacent fold lines 15 and 19.

A further pocket 92 may be provided to hold an identification card, ifso desired.

Itwill thusbe understood that the present invention provides means forholding cards including means to maintain the cards securely therein andwhich may be folded into a compact package which is easilytransportable.

The card holder is easily and economically manufachaving a plurality offold lines extending parallel to one edge of said sheet, said fold linesdividing said sheet into four sections of equal size, said sectionsbeing foldable into a package substantially equal insize to one of saidsections, each of said sections being provided with a plurality ofpockets adapted to hold cards therein, the pockets of the first andsecond sections opening toward the fold line between said first andsecond sections, retainer means secured to said sheet along said foldline between said pockets and having portions extending toward saidpockets to maintain cards therein, the pockets of the third sectionbeing formed with the openings thereof directed toenemas ward the foldline between said third section and the remaining section, retainermeans secured to said sheet adjacent said last mentioned fold linehaving a portion extending toward the adjacent pockets to maintain cardstherein, said pockets on the remaining section formed with the openingsthereof directed in a direction perpendicular to said last mentionedpockets, and retaining means secured to said sheet for maintaining cardsin said last mentioned pockets.

2. A card holder comprising a sheet of flexible material having aplurality of fold lines extending parallel to one edge of said sheet,said fold line dividing said sheet into at least three sections of equalsize, said sections being foldable into a package. substantially equalin size to one of said sections, each of said sections being providedwith a plurality of pockets adapted to hold cards therein, two adjacentsections having pockets. opening only toward the fold line between saidsections, retainer means secured to said sheet along said fold linebetween saidadjaient sections and having portions extending toward saidpockets to maintain cards therein, the pockets on another section formedwith the openings thereof directed inwardly with respect to the edges ofthe sheet and in a direction perpendicular to the fold lines, andretaining means secured to said sheet for maintaining cards in saidlast-mentioned pockets.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS GEORGE O.RALSTON, Primary Examiner.

FRANKLIN T. GARRETT, Examiner.

1. A CARD HOLDER COMPRISING A SHEET OF FLEXIBLE MATERIAL HAVING APLURALTIY OF FOLD LINES EXTENDING PARALLEL TO ONE EDGE OF SAID SHEET,SAID FOLD LINES DIVIDING SAID SHEET INTO FOUR SECTIONS OF EQUAL SIZE,SAID SECTIONS BEING FOLDABLE INTO A PACKAGE SUBSTANTIALLY EQUAL IN SIZETO ONE OF SAID SECTIONS, EACH OF SAID SECTIONS BEING PROVIDED WITH APLURALITY OF POCKETS ADAPTED TO HOLD CARDS THEREIN, THE POCKETS OF THEFIRST AND SECOND SECTIONS OPENING TOWARD THE FOLD LINE BETWEEN SAIDFIRST AND SECOND SECTIONS, RETAINER MEANS SECURED TO SAID SHEET ALONGSAID FOLD LINE BETWEEN SAID POCKETS AND HAVING PORTOINS EXTENDING TOWARDSAID POCKETS TO MAINTAIN CARDS THEREIN, THE POCKETS OF THE THIRD SECTIONBEING FORMED WITH THE OPENINGS THEREOF DIRECTED TOWARD THE FOLD LINEBETWEEN SAID THRID SECTION AND THE REMAINING SECTOIN, RETAINER MEANSSECURED TO SAID SHEET ADJACENT SAID LAST MENTIONED FOLD LINE HAVING APORTION EXTEND, ING TOWARD THE ADJACENT POCKETS TO MAINTAIN CARDSTHEREIN, SAID POCKETS ON THE REMAINING SECTION FORMED WITH THE OPENINGSTHEREOF DIRECTED IN A DIRECTION PERPENDICULAR TO SAID LAST MENTIONEDPOCKETS, AND RETAINING MEANS SECURED TO SAID SHEET FOR MAINTAINING CARDSIN SAID LAST MENTIONED POCKETS.